Xiaomi to open 1,000 stores by 2020 according to company CEO

Even just five years ago, Xiaomi looked very different from the way it does today. From a simple tech startup to the Apple of China, Xiaomi’s growth has been pretty impressive, to say the least. Now, according to Lei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi, China’s largest privately funded startup has ambitious plans to dramatically expand its offline presence: from 25 Xiaomi stores right now to 1,000 stores by 2020.

Xiaomi, like most Chinese smartphone manufacturers, operates its smartphone sales largely via online channels, but according to Xiaomi’s CEO, things might be changing in the future:

We want consumers to touch and test our products with the core technologies in the stores. We have adapted our strategies… Xiaomi will open 1,000 stores by 2020.

According to Shanghai Daily, Xiaomi currently has 25 stores across China, which offer products ranging from smartphones, televisions, water purifiers, electric cookers among others. Although Lei hasn’t specified where this offline expansion would take place, our guess is it will be primarily targeted at its home turf.

Xiaomi’s strategy has long been an online-specific one, but with growing competition from fellow Chinese tech companies, it may not have any other choice but to invest in offline presence. For instance, Huawei boasts over 10,000 stores across China.